My solder Iron wont work

joey_d1119 · Post by **joey_d1119** » Sat Jan 21, 2006 9:04 pm

I turn it on, it heats up to the proper temp. But my solder wont stick to the end. I the iron a week ago to cut through some plastic, but I washed it all off after I cleaned up after last time. What should I do?

Kylwell · Post by **Kylwell** » Sat Jan 21, 2006 11:09 pm

Sounds like you need to re-tin the tip.

Jonas Calhoun · Post by **Jonas Calhoun** » Sat Jan 21, 2006 11:11 pm

Take a file and lightly run it over the tip--not to blunt it, but more to clean it.

Then re-tin it.

Dan

Kylwell · Post by **Kylwell** » Sat Jan 21, 2006 11:15 pm

I was going to suggest steel wool.

en'til Zog · Post by **en'til Zog** » Sun Jan 22, 2006 2:05 am

"Re-tinning" just means cleaning the tip, then melting some solder onto it so it flows over and covers the tip with a thin layer of solder. If the solder doesn't flow and cover the tip, it probably isn't clean enough.

Mr. Badwrench · Post by **Mr. Badwrench** » Sun Jan 22, 2006 4:16 am

Are you using the same solder as before? I learned the hard way that plumber's solder won't work with a soldering iron.

Sparky · Post by **Sparky** » Mon Jan 23, 2006 1:06 am

It is possible you've lost the tin on the tip, application of solder won't necessarily re-tin it. I've had this happen to me too. Which is why I have a soldering iron just for 'dirty' work. You can find tip tinner at radio shack or other electronic supply sources.

http://www.radioshack.com/search/index. ... p%20tinner

There are some (cheep) irons that come looking clean as can be, but have not been tinned. Solder balls up and rolls right off. The tip must be left to heat, then plunged into the can of tip tinner. Then the iron works beautifully. This was the case with the solder station i got from kitsusa.net

BTW a tip can also loose its tinning if left on to long yes I have left mine on all day and most of a night). So that jar of tip tinner is good to have just incase you notice the tip isn't transferring heat as well as it use too.

DX-SFX · Post by **DX-SFX** » Mon Jan 30, 2006 5:49 pm

Just get some paste flux like plumbers use and put some on the tip. That will cut through most contaminants and it'll automatically re-tin when you put the solder on it. That is, afterall, what it's supposed to do. Most soldering iron tips are made of copper and some are plated to prevent the erosion of the copper by normal soldering action but it's not really a problem if you do file the tip to clean it up. In practice, if you ever get the tip pitted that badly, just clean it up with a file again and repeat the process.